Join the Conversation

Caution: Flood cleanup can be hazardous

Marie Mott, Special to the News Journal;
9:49 p.m. CDT May 14, 2014

Gulf Breeze resident Lynette Dewberry walks back to her Navarre Street home after getting a free pair of rubber boots from the Salvation Army Friday afternoon May 9, 2014.(Photo: Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com, Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com)

After the April 29 flood, we may have to work a little harder to bring our lives back to order.

Even if you were lucky enough to have no damage from the storm, use these tips to help you stay healthy this summer.

Avoid heat stress

Heat stress illness can develop after exposure to high temperatures and inadequate fluid replacement. It can lead to heat exhaustion and possibly to heat stroke.

People most prone to heat stress are infants and elderly, those with high blood pressure and people working or exercising in a hot environment. Warning signs of heat stress may include heavy sweating; paleness; muscle cramps; tiredness; weakness; dizziness; headache; nausea or vomiting; fainting; cool, moist skin; fast or weak pulse rate; and rapid, shallow breathing.

Seek immediate medical attention if symptoms are severe or if a victim has heart problems or high blood pressure. Otherwise, help the person to cool off and seek medical attention if symptoms worsen or last longer than one hour.

Avoid mosquito bites

Mosquitoes can carry several viruses that can cause illness. Drain standing water inside and around your home to prevent mosquitoes from breeding – check locations like garbage cans, buckets, pool covers, coolers, toys or flower pots.

Cover your body with clothing and use repellents with DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535 to protect against bites.

continued building damage long after a storm. Failure to control moisture and mold presents health risks. Take steps to avoid indoor air quality problems and minimize health hazards associated with mold:

Marie Mott is with the Florida Department of Health in Escambia County.

More on mold

Is there mold in your home or business?

• Indoor mold growth can usually be seen or smelled.

• It may look cottony, velvety, rough or leathery and have different colors like white, gray, brown, black, yellow or green.

• Mold often appears as a staining or fuzzy growth on furniture or building materials.

• Look for signs of moisture or water damage.

• Search areas where you notice mold odors. If you can smell an earthy or musty odor, you may have a mold problem.

Health problems and mold

• Health problems from exposure to mold can include allergies, irritant effects, infection and toxic effects.

• People sensitive to molds can show symptoms such as nasal and sinus irritation or congestion, dry hacking cough, wheezing, skin rashes or burning, watery or reddened eyes. People with severe allergies may have more serious reactions, such as hay-fever-like symptoms or shortness of breath.

• People with chronic illnesses or people with immune system problems may be more likely to get infections from certain molds, viruses and bacteria. Molds can also trigger asthma attacks.

• Headaches, memory problems, mood swings, nosebleeds and body aches and pains are sometimes reported in mold complaints, but the causes of these physical symptoms are not yet understood.

Source: Florida Department of Health in Escambia County

Cleanup safety tips

Officials offered these cautions to keep people safe during the cleanup and recovery process.

Home cleanup

• Wear rubber boots and waterproof gloves when cleaning your home, particularly for those where sewage was backed up because of the flooding.

• Saving items that have been soaked by floodwater may be unhealthy. In general, materials that could not be thoroughly cleaned and dried within 24 to 48 hours should be discarded. As a general rule, anything you can't wash, disinfect and air dry should be thrown away.

• Walls, floors, closets, shelves and their contents and any other flooded parts of your home should be thoroughly washed and disinfected with a solution of one cup of bleach to five gallons of water.

• Wash all linens and clothing in hot water or dry-clean them.

• Fiberboard, fibrous insulation and disposable filters in your heating and air conditioning system that have been in contact with floodwater or sewage should be replaced.

• Be careful about mixing household cleaners and disinfectants, as combining certain types of products can create toxic fumes.

Working in flooded areas

• Protect yourself from mosquitoes, particularly at dusk and dawn.

• Be wary of snakes that may be in standing water or hiding under debris. If you see a snake, back away slowly and don't touch it.

• If you're working in floodwaters, wear protective equipment such as gloves and boots.

• Anyone working in cleanup activities should make sure their tetanus vaccinations are up to date.

• It is especially important to wash your hands with soap or sanitizer before eating or drinking.

• Throw away all food that was touched by floodwater – including home-canned food. Throw away any wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples and pacifiers. There is no way to clean them if they came into contact with contaminated floodwater.